In high performance computer and telecommunications networks, MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) is an example of a highly scalable, protocol agnostic mechanism that directs and carries data from one network node to the next. Network providers using MPLS (or similar technologies) can easily create virtual links between distant nodes and encapsulate packets of various network protocols. Data packets in an MPLS network are assigned labels. Decisions regarding forwarding the packets are made solely on the contents of the labels without having to examine the contents of the packets. MPLS provides the ability to create end-to-end circuits across any type of transport medium, using any suitable protocol, to carry many different types of network traffic. Various technologies are or were deployed with similar goals, and such technologies include asynchronous transfer mode, or ATM, and frame relay. MPLS technologies use less overhead than ATM technologies to provide connection-oriented services for variable length frames. MPLS technologies, however, preserve the traffic engineering and out-of-band control benefits of ATM and frame relay technologies for deploying large-scale networks. Many network engineers believe that MPLS will soon replace these other technologies.
While MPLS provides many traffic management benefits, such as better reliability, increased performance, and other benefits compared to other technologies, MPLS is not without its shortcomings. For example, MPLS provides a significant loss of visibility and access into a cloud than other technologies. The loss of visibility and a related diminished capacity for discovery makes managing the network more difficult for service providers and other network managers.